ST. PAUL, Minn. — Chris Stewart was like a fire hydrant on skates Thursday, planted in front of Avalanche goalie Craig Anderson as part of a puck-tipping drill toward the end of practice.

“Come on, fire the thing at me,” Stewart yelled to the slap-shooters from the blue line, while jostling with Anderson for position.

Stewart’s words were code for: “Don’t take it easy on me and my previously injured hand — I’m good to go.”

Stewart, the Avs’ leading goal-scorer until he broke a bone in his left hand in a fight with Minnesota’s Kyle Brodziak on Nov. 27, will return to the lineup tonight against the Wild at Xcel Energy Center.

The kind of spirit and pure goal-scoring ability shown by Stewart in the puck-tip drill is just the kind of thing the Avs could use right now. The team is coming off one of three shutout losses in the past two weeks. Colorado went 9-7-5 without Stewart.

“I feel ready to play,” Stewart said after practice. “I got to see a hand therapist three times a week for the last month, and worked on my flexibility and strength. Now I’m just excited to play.”

Stewart, who had 11 goals and 25 points in 23 games before the injury, will skate tonight on a line with Paul Stastny and David Jones. The Avs will get rugged winger Cody McLeod (groin) back in the lineup. To make room for Stewart on the roster, the Avs placed rookie Greg Mauldin on waivers before returning him to Lake Erie of the AHL.

An effective return from Stewart would help plug a number of leaks that have sprung lately for the Avs, namely a lack of size and grit around the net that led to easy goals.

“It should be a good energy boost for our team,” Avs coach Joe Sacco said. “Those two guys are physical players, and that will be good for our lineup right now. With Stewy being out as long as he has, he’s very excited to get back in and that adds good energy to your lineup.”

Stewart didn’t think he would be able to return until Tuesday’s game with Vancouver, but Avs medical personnel cleared him to return before Thursday’s practice.

In his convalescence, Stewart said he second-guessed himself for fighting Brodziak and throwing so many punches in the lopsided bout.

“But it’s a game of emotions and reactions,” he said. “I’m definitely going to be a little smarter about what I do out on the ice, but I’m not going to try to be a different player or anything.”

The Avs will also see the return to starting duty of Anderson, who sat for a second consecutive game Wednesday at Chicago — the first time that’s happened for him as an Av while healthy. Anderson isn’t about to dwell on the reasoning by Sacco not to play him Wednesday.

“My job is to stop the puck,” he said. “It’s very simple. When I’m in there, stop the puck and when I’m not, cheer on my teammates. Nothing’s changed for me since I started playing this game at age 6.”

Colorado at Minnesota

6 p.m. tonight, ALT, 950 AM

Spotlight on Cal Clutterbuck: The Minnesota winger is an agitator supreme, one who has scored 13 goals. After a victory over the Avalanche in their previous meeting, Clutterbuck talked smack, including: “There are some guys over there, two guys in particular, I’m shocked they’re still even playing in the league.”

Avalanche: Veteran captain Adam Foote took Thursday’s practice off as a rest day. . . . The Avs went through a rugged practice otherwise, with a lot of emphasis on winning puck battles in the corners and lots of skating.

Wild: Former Av Jose Theodore (hip) is questionable to start in goal for Minnesota tonight. Normal starter Niklas Backstrom is also sidelined with a hip injury, meaning Anton Khudobin could start. If he does, it will be Khudobin’s second career start. . . . The Wild placed forward Patrick O’Sullivan on waivers Thursday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tyreek Hill didn’t know what to do when he started hearing thousands of people in Arrowhead Stadium chanting his name, even as he stood all alone on the frozen turf waiting for the punt.